Ryan Scott, a contender on the Bravo TV program Top Chef /Chicago, has been visiting with his old friend, and mentor, Steve Hernandez. Steve is the owner with his wife Peggy of one of our loveliest new additions to Fallon in a long long time, The Slanted Porch restaurant. We have the privilege of being located right next door to to this great place, and where Ryan is displaying some of his creative culinary art, so.........last week for our Friday wine tasting at Red Zinnia he decided to bring over some fabulous appetizers that he had paired with the wines we were serving that evening. After the 12 or 14 plates that had arrived, filled with wonderful delicacies had been consumed, he stopped and chatted it up with some of our regulars. Even signed some autographs for some of our star struck wine connoisseurs. Peggy was on hand to help and we managed to keep her out of the restaurant for a short period of time.

We are hoping to see more of him in the weeks ahead as he bounces between Fallon and San Francisco on the search for a location for his new restaurant. That is - in between when he will be appearing on The Ellen Show, with stop offs in New York and other locations doing radio spots as spokesperson for Morningstar Foods. He is a busy young man, who's energy is contagious.